Numir had been living in the city that was built around the magic tower in the domains of the Daybreak Clan, for several weeks by now.
In the beginning, she was a little apprehensive due to the unfamiliar faces and the aggressive appearance of the dragonborns, but the more she interacted with them, the more she realized how friendly their nature was.
The mantle of red lightning over her body and her little brother had vanished a week later after she woke up, but there were still arcs of red lightning that would appear around her from time to time.
Today was a day like any other, and Numir was exploring the city with her little brother. Sometimes she would look at the clouds that were filling the sky and she could not help but feel curious about them.
The clouds appeared more than a month ago and they have not moved away or diminished their size this entire time. What intrigued Numir, was that when they appeared, all the dragonborns kneeled to them for an entire minute.
When she asked Shiyu what was happening, the Neo-Demon only smiled and told her that she would know in due time.
When Numir was preparing to go back to her house, the mantle of red lightning came back, covering her and her brother, before making them fly. In a matter of seconds, she was already a hundred meters above the ground.
Numir was frightened when this happened and was hugging her little brother when she heard a voice in her mind.
"Don't worry, nothing will happen to you."
She did not understand why, but all of her fear vanished and a sense of security filled her heart when she heard that voice.
Very soon Numir rose above the clouds and what she saw made her eyes widen with wonder.
A man so immensely big that she could not see his entire body with one look was in front of her. From very high in the firmament, where her sight did not reach, lightning was being discharged against this man, but instead of harming him, they were healing the small wounds that were present in his perfect body.
The man opened his eyes, which resembled two moons made of red lightning, and looked at Numir. He waved his hand and made her and the baby land on his palm.
It took a moment for Numir to process everything that had just happened, and once she was able to concentrate again, she immediately kneels.
"Numir greets the mighty Lord Ezequiel." Although she did not know Ezequiel's appearance, she was able to draw the connection between the red lightning that was left in her and this giant man.
"Stand up, there is no need for kneeling."
The voice was once again heard in her mind and a power that she could not resist raised her body.
"But they..." Numir did not know what to do. After all, she saw how the entire city kneel when the clouds appeared, which she assumed were brought by Ezequiel.
"My people do not kneel out of obligation but respect and admiration. Shiyu told me you have some questions for me. I have finished my healing seclusion and now I can answer you."
When she saw those tender eyes looking at her, Numir felt all of her worries go away and after gathering enough courage, she expressed the question that has been in her mind since she arrived here.
"Why did you save me, brought me here, and made sure I was being protected and cared for."
When Ezequiel heard her question, a smile appeared on his face.
"You impressed me with your courage and determination, back then you should not have been able to move due to your injuries and still you were able to do it because you wanted to protect the baby in your arms. I have been watching how you move through the city and fight away the pain of losing your loved one and the fear that being in a different place brings. You could say I have grown fond of you."
Those words made Numir tremble. She would be lying if she says she did not feel anything for the man who saved her and her brother, healed their wounds, and made sure they were safe and happy.
But soon a dispirited look appeared on her face as she focused on the holy being that was looking at her with kindness.
"How could that be possible, I am just a normal person." In her mind, it is not possible for a being like Ezequiel to be with someone like her.
Unlike Ezequiel who was guided by Zatiel and perfectly understood the nature of power and how life forms grow stronger and more unique as they advance in the Rank, not only increasing their life span but also their control over the fundamental forces of the universe, the women's beliefs were different.
In Numir's mind, there was the idea that it is impossible for her to be more than what she is, that no matter what you do you will never grow stronger if you are not born special. This is something very common in the people who live under the Heavenly race.
Ezequiel has a very good understanding of the nature of the Heavenly race and it was easy for him to figure out the reason for Numir's feelings.
"I am Ezequiel the Supreme, the Will of a being so unique that calling him special will be an understatement. Through my body runs the bloodline of one of the first races that were born in the universe. Of the hundreds of millions of lives that are present in this world, the number of individuals who can face me do not reach the three digits and it will come the day when no one can challenge me under this sky and I will have the power to level cities and devastate entire continents with my bare hands."
Ezequiel's words were full of pride and might. The Neo-Demon notice how the sense of loss in Numir's eyes only grew when she heard the distance between them, however, he had not finished speaking.
"But I was born as a mortal of the human race, just like you. I was sold as a slave before I could even understand what was happening around me. The first decade of my life I was an insignificant assassin from the mortal world, whose tasks may have seemed important for the people who ordered them but that were insignificant in the grand scheme of things."
When Numir heard those words, her entire body trembled. She raises her head and sees Ezequiel looking at her with gentleness.
"Can I become someone like you?" Hope appeared in Numir's eyes at the thought of being by the side of the person who gave her so much.
When Ezequiel saw the hopeful and expectant light in Numir's eyes, he was captivated by it. This was a completely new feeling to the Neo-Demon whose mind was only focused on fighting and training.
After a moment, Ezequiel started to laugh and his laughter was like thunder that filled the sky.
"Hahaha, you are aiming high, my bloodline is special and theoretically impossible to copy. But you can rise in the Ranks and become a higher life form, not only obtaining a longer life but also the power to protect the one you care for."
All of a sudden, Ezequiel stops looking at Numir and stares at the distance for a long time. His eyes sparkled with red lightning and the air around him acted strangely.
Numir did not dare to disturb him and waited patiently for him to speak.
After a minute, Ezequiel's smile grew wider and he turned back to Numir.
"You are in luck, my Master has arrived in the world. I will talk to him so you can become one of us and start to walk the path of power. For the meantime, you and your brother will remain in the city where you two will be safe."
From Ezequiel's chest, a special arc of red lightning went to Numir, and entered her body.
"That will nurture your body until it reaches the peak of Rank 0."
Although she did not understand some of the things that Ezequiel spoke, Numir was nodding repeatedly with such strength that made the Neo-Demon laugh again.
"I will see you later and I will bring a special gift."
Numir was curious about what Ezequiel was talking about, but the Neo-Demon did not speak anymore and the red lightning took the duo back to the ground.
Now that he was alone, Ezequiel closed his eyes and after a moment, his body started to shrink. This was not Primordial Condensation, but a simple spell.
It did not take him long to reduce his body of four hundred and fifty meters to less than ten meters. This state was very uncomfortable for him and his power was reduced greatly but it was the only way he could use the facility of the tower.
He flew to the teleportation formation inside the magic tower undetected and activated it, disappearing from the place.
